Continuous process for making polybutylene terephthalate using purified terephthalic acid and 1,4-butane diol

摘要

Disclosed is a continuous process and device for making polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, particularly high molecular weight PBT resin. The process includes combining 1,4-butane diol and purified terephthalic acid to form a mixture and continuously supplying the mixture to a tower reactor having a plurality of reactor zones for esterification and/or transesterification. The product is continuously supplied to a first continuously stirred tank reactor, and further to a continuous polycondensation reactor. Particular conditions for each step of the process are further described herein. Also disclosed are a device for conducting the process, and a monitoring process for determining the carboxylic acid end group concentration of the resulting PBT.